Knotting device for grain-binders.



No. 629,522. 2 Patentedluly 25,1899. c. A. A. BAND. KNOTTING DEVICE FOB GRAIN BINDERS.

3 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

No. 629,522. Patented luly 25, |399. c. A. A. RAND.

KNUTTING DEVICE FOB GRAIN BINDERS.

(Application led Apr. 25, 1898.)

3 sham-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No.. 629,522. Patented my 25, m99.

C. A. A. RAND. KNOTTING DEVICE FUR GRAIN BINDERS.

(Application filed Apr. 25. 1898.)

INu Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNITEDv` STATES PATENT OEETCE.

CHARLES A. ANDERSON RAND, OFA CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEERING HARVESTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

KNOTTING DEVICE FoR eRAMs-Business.n

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 629,522, dated July 25, 1899.

A Application filed April 25, 189 8A. Serial No. 678,810. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom Lr mctyconcern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. ANDERSON RAND, of Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knotting Devices for Grain-Binders, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. l

The invention relates to the knotforming mechanisms of grain-binders and in part especially to a type of comparatively recent introduction where, although the knotter itself rotates in one direction only, the knotterop-' erating gear is oscillated back and forth; and the invention has for its objects to provide a novel form of latch or gate for the needleslot in the breastplate and an improved inanner of operating the same and timing its movements withA respect to the knotter and to provide an improved construction and arrangement of the knotter, its operating-gearing, and its jaw-operating cam relatively to one another, so that the proper engagement of the knotter-pinion with its tooth-segment may be insured on the forward movement of the operating-gear and so that the knotter will not be turned on the reverse movement of the gear, but will be positively heldagain st any backward rotation which might result from the return of the operating-gear orthe pull of the twine.

The best embodiment of the invention at present known to me is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and which, without intending to limit myself tothe details of construction thereof, I will now describe and claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of .the entire knotter mechanism as seen from a point diagonally above the same. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking in the direction of the operating-wheel shaft'V from the position of the wheel, which is removed; and Figs. 3 and 4. are sectional views taken lengthwise the Wheel ,shaft, just outside the knotter, which is shown in the cord-receiving position in Fig. 3 and as having made about half a rotation in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 is a sectional fragment of the rim of the knotter-operatin g wheel; and Fig. 6 is a perspective View similar to Fig. l,

but showing the position of the parts and the cord when the gate is open.

The frame A of the knotter, the breast* plate B and its slot, and the cord holding and cutting mechanisms C form no part of the invention and may be of any convenient form and construction. The details of these parts Will be readily identified in the drawings andy will not, therefore, be further referred to.

The knetter D is of the type which stands normally pointing slightly outward and which makes only one revolution in the formation of the knot. It is journaled in the frame in the usual manner andv provided with the usual pinion d. The knotter-operating wheel E is mounted, as usual, on the shaft from which the frame is suspended; but the shaft and Wheel are not rotated in this instance, but are oscillated, as indicated by the arrow a: in Fig. l. Such oscillating wheel and shaft are not broadly new, and I have not, therefore, deemed it necessary to illustrate any means for operating them.

The knotte-r-wheel E is provided with a gear-segment c, with which the knotter-pinion intermeshes, and the segment and pinion may have any approximate number of teeth for giving the knotter the one complete rotation already referred to, the usual lrelation being one less tooth in the segment than in the pinion. The wheel is further provided with a delay-rim e', running around it from one end of the segment to the other, and the pinion has a delay-shoe d cooperating `with the rim e, said shoe and rim cooperating to stop and to hold the knotter stationary when the pinion and segment are not actually in- .tergeared For the purpose of insuring the prompt and complete engagement of the pinion with the segment on the forward movement of .the knotter-wheel I provide the wheel with a starting-tooth e2 a little in advance of the segment e and on a slightlyshorter radius, and I also form on the knotter-spindle, just above the pinion d, a supplemental tooth d2, having such angular relation to the other teeth of the pinion that when struck by the starting-tooth on the knetter-wheel it will cause the pinion to fairly and quickly engage the segment e. f

On reference to Fig. 5 it will be noted that the advancing side of the starting-tooth c2 presents an abrupt shoulder and that the side of the supplemental tooth d2 of the pinion is about at a right angle to the face of the delay-shoe d'. Although not essential te the successful operation of the parts, this is a desirable construction. It is essential, however, that one of the teeth should vbe yielding in order that the knetter may not be turned back when thewheel E is reversed, forit will be understood that if the teeth d2 and e2 are rigid and engage each other in both movements of the wheel the knetter would also be oscillated. The mest convenient way to provide for this is to make the tooth e2 yielding, and Fig. 5 shows a simple form of the same, consisting in a at spring riveted to the wheel at one end and bent at an angle at its tooth end and having its point passed into an opening in the wheel. It will new he understood that the end of the spring forming the starting-tooth e2 engages one side of the tooth d2 as the wheel E moves forward and that the supplemental tooth will not be engaged at all by the spring as the wheel E is reversed unthe spring-tooth c, as shown in Fig. 5, so that on the backward movement of the wheel E the parts'may slide easily past each other and the spring-tooth yield without starting the pinion d into engagement with the opposite end of the segment e. Although with this construction and arrangement of parts the knetter-pinion would not be reugaged with the segment e on the return of `the oscillating wheel E, there would be some liability of such rengagement, due to the jarring of the machine and the unavoidable friction between the parts. Moreover, at this juncture the pull of the twine en the jaws of the knetter would probably tend te turn it backward. I therefore provide, in combination with this reversing wheel and segment, what is, broadly speaking, a one-way pawl-and-ratchet attachment, and I specifically work out this arrangement by a modification in the form of the cam for opening the jaws of the knetter, as follows: In Fig. l the letter c denotes this cam. Se far as its functionin opening the jaws of the knotteris concerned it is of the usual construction; butIprovide its rear end with an abrupt somewhat elongated face or shoulder c. It will of course be understood that when the roller on the heel of the movable jaw of the knetter (denoted by o2 in the drawings) lruns off the cam c the spring-cam' that closes the jaw and the tension on the twine around the jaws cause the roller to immediately close up against the knetter-spindle into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. roller when the knetter-operatin g wheel starts to reverse, and it is held in this position by tion.

' in a' bearing h2 en the knetter-frame.

mally the gate stands in the position shown- This is the position of the the pull on the twine and the spring before may be regarded as and is in eifect a springpawl and the shoulder` at the end of the cam 'as a ratchet-tooth, and although an ordinary pawl and ratchet might be used for the purpose Iprefer te so utilize the knetter-jaw and cam.

I will now describe my improvements relating to the cord-gate. The function of this gate is well understood, and it is to be par ticularly noted that as itsmovements must have a certain relation to and correspondence with those of the knetter a characteristic feature of this improvement is that the act-ion of the gate is not only timed with respect te the knetter, but is actually controlled by the knetter itself, whereby all liability of derangement between the movements of the two parts due to the wear of separate actuating mechanisms is obviated and a constant relation preserved.

Referring to Fig. l, s denotes -the slot in the breastplate, the contour and direction of which are not peculiar tothe present inven- From the side of the slot opposite the knetter there projects across it and toward the knetter-spindle aiinger f. There is nothing` new in the arrangement or function of this finger except that Iprovide it with a vertical flange g to shield the end of the cordgate and prevent the cords getting under the same. The gate itself is denoted by h. It projects downwardly and then outwardly from a small spindle h, which is journaled Norin Fig. 1, with its end lying above and just clearing the finger f near its point and the flange g extending a'little above it for the purpose already explained. With the gate in this position, the knetter is in position to receive the cord, and the slot in the breastplate is closed, so that the cord islaid against and supported by the gate h. The gate is normally held in this closed position by the roller on the jaw ef the knetter, as will be explained later on. It is opened by a spring t, which bears upon a lateral wing or projection f' of the gate and is adjustable by means of a nut n, screwing on the end of the red fr, which is encircled by the spring and which passes freely through a perforation in the wingf and hooks around a part of the knotter-frame, as shown in Figs. l and 4:. Of course any other form of'spring for this purpose would be Within the scope of my invention. The wing f extends above the pivot of the gate, as will be noted in Figs. 3 and 4, and projects up on the other side of the knetterframe from the gate, so that it stands in the path of the roller c2 on Vthe movable jaw of Ilov the knotter. The wing is also preferably widened out, as shown at f2 in Fig. 2, for the purpose of utilizing it as the closing-cam for the knotter-jaw. The relative position of all these parts will be readily understood from Figs. 2, 3, and 4, where the dierent positions of the gate and its wing are shown during the revolution of the knotter. The knotter stands normally, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, with its roller c2 against the shoulder c of the jawopening cam c, the roller having just passed off the cam. At this time the roller c2 presses the wing f outward and holds the gate closed in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The knotter starts to revolve in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, and as soon as its roller passes out from under the portion f2 of the wing f the spring opens the gate h and the .cords'are permitted to be drawn past and around Athe end of the iingerfin-the ordinary way. When the knotter has completed its revolution and the knot has been formed, it comes to rest with its roller again under the wingf, and the gate is again closed and held so until both strands of the cord have been fairly laid upon the knotter and the jaws have got suflicient start on their next rotation to make the escape of the cords impossible.

It will be understood that the portion f2 of the wing of the cord-gate takes the place of the usual jaw-closing cam of the knotter; but so far as the mere closing of the gate by the knotter is concerned any other form of jawclosing cam might be used. The present arrangement is, however, `greatly preferred, as the location of the wing f of the gate enables it to be utilized for the purpose of closing the knotter-jaws, at the same time simplifying the construction and enabling the knotter to hold the gate closed as long as desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure, is*

1. In a grain-binder, the combination with the slotted breastplate, of a knotter, and a cord-gate for closing the slot and supporting the cords, said gate being separate from but controlled by the knotter.

2. In a grain-binder, the combination with the slotted breastplate, of a knotter, and a cord-gate in advance of the knotter for closing the slot and supporting the cords, said gate being separate from but closed by the knotter.

3. In a grain-binder, the combination with the slottedbreastplate, of a knotter, and a cord-gate for closing the slot and supporting the cords, said gate being closed and held by the knotter and opened by a spring when released by the knotter.

4. In a grain-binder, the combination with the slotted breastplate, of a knotter, a cordgate for closing the slot and supporting the cords, and Va jaw-closin g cam connected with the cord-gate.

5. In a grain-binder, the combination with the slotted breastplate, and the knotter, of a cam for opening the knotter-jaws, a cord-gate 7. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, the combination of an oscillating Wheel having a gear-segment, a delay-rim, and a starting-tooth, ofA a knotter-pinion having a delay-shoe coperating with the rim, and a supplemental tooth cooperating with the starting-tooth, the starting-tooth being adapted to pass the supplemental tooth on the backward 85 movement of the oscillatin g wheel without reversing the knotter. 1

8. In-a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, the combination of an oscillating wheel having a gearfsegment, a delay-rim and an elastically-yielding starting-tooth, of a knotter whose pinion is provided with a delayshoe cooperating with the rim, and a supplemental tooth coperating with the startingtooth, said startingtooth being adapted to engage the supplemental tooth in the forward movement of the wheel, and to yield and pass over the same onthe wheels reverse movement.

9. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, the combination of .an oscillating gearsegment for rotating the knotter, means for stopping the knotter at the completion of its knot-forming rotation, and mechanism for holding the knotter in that position while the gear-segment is passing it during the reverse movement of the operating-segment.

10. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, the combination of an oscillating gearsegment for rotating the knotter, means for stopping the knotter at the completion of its knot-forming rotation, a ratchet-tooth on the knotter-frame, and a yielding pawl carried by the knotter, whereby the knotter is permitted to revolve in a forward direction, and prevented from revolving backward.

11. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, the combination with an oscillating gearsegment for rotating the knotter, having a starting-tooth at one end of the segment, and a delay-surface at both ends, of a knotter having a delay-shoe, a supplemental tooth coperating with the starting-tooth, a ratchettooth on the knotter-frame, and a yielding pawl carried by the knotter, whereby the knotter is thrown into gear with the segment on the movement of the latter in one direction, and stopped at the completion of its knot-forming rotation, and prevented from gearing with the segment on the latters return, and held against reverse rotation.

12. In combination with the slotted breastplate, the cord-gate and the knotter, both suitably supported in positions relative to the IOO I'Io

said breastplate, the latter provided With a portion eccentric to its aXis and thus adapted to engage the said gate and force it to close the slot in the breastplate, substantially as described.

13. In combination with the slotted breastplate, the cord-gate suitably supported upon the knotter-frame, the'knotter provided with an eccentric portion adapted to move the said gate to its closed position, and a spring for retracting the said gate and thus opening the slot in the breastplate, all combined substantially as described.

14. In combination with the slotted breastplate and the knotter-frame, a cord-gate pivoted upon the knotter-frame above the knotter, said gate provided with an extension f2 `adapted to serve as a cam for closing said knotter-jaw, and a spring adapted to move said cam and cause it to elastically hold the knotter-jaws closed, and at the same time open the space in the breastplate, to permit the twine extending from the knotting devices to the bundle to pass downward, substantially as described.

15. In combination with the'oscillating segmental gear E provided with the yielding tooth e2, a cord-knotter shaft free to be revolved in a forward direction, but arrested from movement in a reverse direction, a pinion having a delay-shoe, and the supplemental tooth d2, substantially as described.

16. In combination with the knotter-pinon 4 CHARLES A. ANDERSON RAND.

Witnesses: 4

J. A. GoLDsBoRoUGH, GEO. M. COPENHAVEN. 

